Self cleaning rake



Nov. 17, 1931. c. BRUCK 1,832,353

SELF CLEANING RAKE Filed Nov. 18. 1929 hLiyyN-\MLLLL\NLLLLLLU Inventor Attorney Patented Nov. 17,1931

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .CHARLES BRUCK, F BELOIT, WISCONSIN.-

SELF CLEANING RAKE Application filed November 18, 1929. Serial No. 408,032.

This invention relates broadly to rakes and aligned sleeves or eyes 8. A tooth carrying has as its primary object the provision of a bar 9 which bar 9 is preferably ofelongated rake that is positively self-cleaning, easy to tubular construction extends through the operate, firmly made, thus rendering the rake sleeves 8 and has its intermediate portion rodurable, and capable of being used either tatably supported in said sleeves. The Work 55 where the amount to be raked is heavy or teeth of the rake are designated generallyby light and with equally good results. the reference character 10 and each of the Another very important object of the inteeth 10 are transversely curved the upper vention is to provide a self-cleaning rake inends of the teeth extending transversly 10 eluding means for folding the teeth of the through the tooth carrying bar 9, the upper on rake in a positive position, and at the same ends of the teeth terminating flush with the time to provide means in connection theretop of the bar 9. At said upper ends, the with for returning the rake teeth to their norteeth 10 are provided with rounded heads 11 mal position when the rake tooth carrying roughened and driven into round holes 'in boss has been rotated for cleaning the teeth the tooth bar-9. Inwardly from'their upper 65 of the rake, and wherein the returning of the ends, the teeth 10 are likewise rounded and rake teeth to their normal position will reroughened as at 12 to snugly fit within openquire little or no exertion on the part of the ings in the bottom of the bar 9. The portions operation. i y of the teeth 10 within thetubular tooth car- A still further important object of the rying bar 9 are flat as at 13, the fiat portion 70 invention is to provide a self-cleaning rake 13 being curved longitudinally and aids in of the character. above mentioned having more firmly securing the teeth 10 to the bar 9. guard means formed thereon to prevent rak- The bar 9 intermediate the sleeves 8 has ing from falling back over over the rake upon formed integrally therewith a lateral hook the ground which has been previously raked. 14, the free end of which hookis adapted to Other objects and advantages of the inabut the yoke 6 acting as a stop to limit the vention will become apparent during a study rotation of the bar 9 in one direction. T0 of the following description, taken in connormally urge the hook '14; in abutting renection with the accompanying drawings, lation with the yoke, there is provided a coil 00 wh r in spring 15 having one end thereof engaging 3 Figure 1 is a front elevation of a rake with the hook 14 and the other end engaging embodying the features of the present invenwlth a hook 16 carried by the lower end portion. tion of the handle 5. Thus the spring 15 Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view acting upon the hook 1 1 will tend to nortaken through the rake teeth carrying bar, mally hold the teeth .10 in working position,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail sectional the hook 14 abutting the yoke when therake view for more clearly showing the manner of is being drawn toward the operator when securing the rake teeth to the rake carrying raking the materlal. When the rake is moved bar; forwardly, as for another stroke, the resist- 4' Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail sectional ance ofl'ered by the ground will overcome the 9 view of the guard member. tension of the springv 15 causing the teeth to WVit-h reference more in detail to the drawswing rearwardly in the direction indicated ings, it will be seen that my improved rake by the arrows in Figure 2 whereby they may comprises a handle 5 which is connected to discharge all such raking as has accumulated the yoke designated generally by the referthereon. As soon as the operator moves the as once character 6. The yoke 6 comprises a teeth 10 out of contact with'theground the socket 7 for receiving one end of the handle teeth 10 will return to their normal working 5, and the socket 7 merges into a'fork the position under the action ofthe spring 15,, legs of which at their outer free ends have and the rotation of the bar 9 will be limited 50 formed integrally therewith transversely by the hooks 14 as is obvious. a

To prevent the raking from falling over and behind the rake on to the ground which has been previously raked I provide a suitable guard designated generally by the reference character 17. This guard 17 comprises an elongated bar 18 preferably in the nature of an angle bar and extends along the top of the tubular bar 9 for the full length of said bar. The bar 18 is disposed on the tube 9 in such a manner as to straddle the tube 9 as shown to advantage in Figure 2. Guard fingers are formed from a plurality of U- shaped member 19 which extend transversely through the bar 18 at the apex portion of the flanges of said angle bar 18. The legs of the U-shaped members 19 are curved longitudinally to extend upwardly and rearwardly from said bar 18. The bar 18 is anchored or secured to the tubular tooth carrying bar 9 through the medium of bolts, rivets or other suitable fastening elements designated as at 20, so that when the tooth carrying bar 9 is rotated said bar 18 will move therewith in the direction of rotation, and the legs19 of the respective U-shaped members form as it were continuation of the work teeth 10, being arranged in vertical alignment with respect thereto as shown to advantage in Figures 1 and 2. Manifestly, any of the rakings which would otherwise fall over and in back of the teeth 10 will be obstructed through the medium of the U-shaped members 19 and, of course, some of the rakings may cling to the legs of said U-shaped members. In that event when the operator moves forwardly the rake so as to bring the teeth 10 in contact with the ground to offer resistance to the teeth so that the teeth 10 swing inwardly in that direction in Figure 2 for cleaning the same, the Ushaped members 19 will move in that direction also indicated by the arrows in Figure 2 so that a cleaning of the U-shaped members 19 will also be affected simultaneously with the cleaning of the teeth 10. Further, the bar 18 being secured to the tubular tooth carrying bar 9, said Ushaped members 19 will be moved to the normal guard position under action of the spring when resistance is no longer olfered to the teeth 10. Of course, it is to be understood that the bar 8, at the edges of the flanges thereof will be suitably notched to accommodate the eyes or sleeves 88 as suggested at 18 in Figure 2.

It is believed that from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, a clear understanding of the operation, construction, utility and advantages of a self-cleaning rake of this nature will be had Without a more detailed description.

Having thus described my invention, What I wish to claim as new is z 1. A rake embodying a handle, a teeth supporting bar rotatably supported at one end of said handle, longitudinally curved teeth carried by said bar, a stop member carried by said bar and arranged thereon to engage said one end of the handle for limiting the rotation of said bar in one direction, spring means for normally urging said stop member into engagement with said handle, and a guard member detachably secured to said bar and including longitudinally spaced U-shaped members curving upwardly and rearwardly from the top of said bar.

2. A rake embodying a handle, a yoke on one end of said handle, said yoke at its free end having a pair of transversely aligned sleeves formed thereon, a tooth carrying bar rotatably mounted in the sleeves, longitudinally curved teeth carried by said bar, a hook carried by said bar and arranged thereon to engage with said yoke for limiting the rotation of said bar in one direction, a second hook carried by said handle, a spring secured at its opposite end to said hooks for normally urging said first mentioned hook into engagement with said yoke, and a guard member mounted on said bar for rotation with said bar.

3. A rake embodying a handle, a yoke on one end of said handle, a tooth carrying bar rotatably mounted on said yoke, an elongated bar rigidly mounted on the top of said tooth carrying bar for rotation therewith, a plurality of U-shaped guard members mounted on said second bar and curving upwardly and rearwardly therefrom.

4. A rake embodying a handle, a yoke on one end of said handle, a tooth carrying ba r rotatably mounted on said yoke, an elongated bar rigidly mounted on the top of said tooth carrying bar for rotation therewith, a plurality of U-shaped guard members mounted on. said second bar and curving upwardly and rearwardly therefrom, a stop member carried by said tooth carrying bar for engagement with said yoke to limit rotation of the tooth carrying bar in one direction, and spring means yieldingly urging said stop member in engagement with said yoke.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature.

CHARLES BRUCK. 

